Episode 1553 (30 December 1997)
Synopsis Phil and Grant don't come to blows, but instead have a boring exchange of advice. Phil tells Grant that Tiffany is better than he realises, and Grant tells Phil that he and Kathy are finished after his appalling treatment of her. Phil replies that if she didn't still love him she would have asked for a divorce. Grant says Kathy knows Phil too well now, and he always needs that thrill of sneaking around and having a bit of his life that no-one else knows about, because he can't stand being just a boring middle-aged mechanic. Phil replies that after Grant hurt Tiffany physically as well as mentally, he hasn't got much chance of her coming back now either. Grant says he'll prove he can, and goes off to Bianca's. Meanwhile, Phil goes to Kathy's. Bianca is not keen on letting Grant in, saying he's a bully and he should go away, but Tiffany insists and won't let her call the police. Grant begs sufficiently sincerely to persuade Tiffany to allow him to explain. Bianca is furious that Tiffany has weakened her resolve to leave him and leaves reluctantly, saying she will be back in 20 minutes and Grant had better be gone. When they're alone, Grant manages to win Tiffany over, saying that he is sorry and he didn't mean any of the horrible things he said, and he does love her really. She replies that he's destroyed her trust, and she doesn't want to be like her mother, to flinch every time he walks past and expect a beating every Saturday night. Grant says he sometimes just gets so afraid of losing her when she doesn't seem to need him and is off on her own. He admits to getting so angry he doesn't know what he's doing, like when he hit Phil and Sharon, but he promises to change and do whatever it takes, for a start he says he will allow her the freedom she wants and to treat her like a princess. She says a few hours ago she was a second rate scrubber, now she's a princess? How can she know whether to believe him this time? She adds that she's leaving because he went too far - he knew he was scaring her but he just carried on, and he will never change. Grant says he will do whatever she wants - what exactly does she need? Tiffany says she wants her own life - maybe to go to college or something, not just be a wife and mother. Grant says he thought they wanted the same things in life, and Tiffany says he just wants to tell her what to do. He promises to "make her happy". Phil calls round at Kathy's, and she's in her bedclothes. He says he wants to sort it out once and for all for Ben's sake. She is reluctant but gets changed and agrees to listen. Phil starts off unpromisingly by saying he wants another chance. Kathy reminds him he had a thousand and blew them all, because he never bothered to ask how she felt about it all. He says OK, tell me. She waffles a bit and then says she really wants to know why he had the affair with Lorna. He says it was because it was like the alcoholism - secret and exciting, and it was a thrill. Kathy decides that is a pathetic excuse, and concludes he can't be trusted not to do it again and says it's over, she wants a divorce, mainly because he's not kind and gentle enough for her. Phil can't believe it and even resorts to tears. He says she still loves him really, and they even kiss, but then Kathy breaks off saying that he's wrong and she doesn't love him any more. Phil leaves sadly, and sees Grant and Tiffany with Courtney walking across the square back to the Vic. Credits Main cast *Phil Mitchell - Steve McFadden *Grant Mitchell - Ross Kemp *Bianca Butcher - Patsy Palmer *Tiffany Mitchell - Martine McCutcheon *Kathy Mitchell - Gillian Taylforth *Courtney Mitchell - Carissa O'Meara and Josephine O'Meara Category:Episode Category:1997 Episodes